Chapter 3- Connections and Interactions
What scientific or technological achievements are reflected in this image?
Some scientific or technological achievements that are reflected in this image are telescopes, globes, hourglasses, pendulums, compasses, rulers and other measurement devices. (mathematics and astronomy)
What was the role of the Swahili civilization in the world of Indian Ocean commerce?
The role of the Swahili civilization in the world of Indian ocean commerce was to provide the rest of the Indian Ocean with goods from the interior of Africa such as ivory, gold, quartz, leopard skins, etc. . . They exchanged these items with valuable items from other civilizations.
Srivijaya
An empire that was very involved in the trade throughout the Indian Ocean (located in modern day Malaysia)
Pochteca
Aztec merchants who went on long expeditions outside of the empire
The achievements listed here occurred prior to the invention of the printing press and the Scientific Revolution. Why are most students familiar with Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton but not the scientists listed here?
Most students are familiar with Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton, but not any of the ones on the list in the book because they are from Europe while the ones in the book are Middle Eastern (or Islamic). Europeans have constantly been the people who have been deemed "superior" in history, so students (especially in America) learn about the important white people rather than anyone of any other ethnicity.
Sand Roads
The Trans-Saharan trade routes that connected North Africa and the Mediterranean to interior West Africa
What lay behind the emergence of Silk Road commerce and what kept it going for so many centuries?
The emergence of Silk Road commerce was due to the popularity of the items that were sold/traded through the system. This caused many ordinary people to switch professions and produce items that were popular. The multitude of empires that used it kept it going for so many centuries. Even after some empires fell, new empires replaced it and kept the network of trade going
Why did the peoples of the Eastern Hemisphere develop long-distance trade more extensively than did those of the Western Hemisphere?
The people of the Eastern Hemisphere developed long-distance trade more extensively that those of the Western Hemisphere because they didn't have as many environmental barriers to trade as those of the Western Hemisphere. The Western Hemisphere also did not have many ways to travel such as camels, horses, wheeled vehicles, or large boats.
What factors would have encouraged Ming expeditions to the port cities on the above map?
The port cities were most likely major trade centers and they may have contained some sort of power in the area. This would have attracted the Chinese on the Ming expeditions because they were looking for people to bring into the tribute system in China.
Sea Roads
The transoceanic trade routes that ran throughout the Indian Ocean basin which connected Eurasian societies to the East Africa coast
What changes did trans-Saharan trade bring to West Africa?
Trans-Saharan trade caused West Africa to develop civilizations and city-states that had complex systems such as monarchies (politics) and more commerce (economics) as they now had more motives to.
Angkor Wat
a Hindu temple built by the Khmer kingdom of Angkor
Timbuktu
a major trading city in West Africa
House of Wisdom
an academic center in Baghdad that was started by the Abbasid caliph al-Mamun
Arabian camel
an animal that was used to travel along the Sand Roads by traders (they were very efficient)
Swahili civilization
the commercial city-states along the East African coast
trans-Saharan slave trade
the massive slave trade that occurred in the Sahara (slaves traveled from West Africa to Islamic North Africa)
American web
the small trading network in the Americas
West African civilization
the states and empires that developed after trade grew in Africa due to the Sand Roads
Silk Roads
trade routes that ran from China to Europe (named after the popular silk product from China)
In what ways was Afro-Eurasian a single interacting zone, and in what respects was it a vast region of separate cultures and civilizations?
Afro-Eurasia was a single interacting zone because they traded with each other and were influenced by each other (they didn't interact with the Americas until later), but they were a vast region of separate cultures and civilizations. They may have been close to each other, but each civilization had a distinct culture. The Europeans were different from the Middle Eastern people despite their interactions. The same could be said for the people of Africa and China. Each one of these civilizations had developed their own diverse cultures (religion and resources), but they interacted with only each other which made them a single interacting zone.
What cultural changes occurred in Korea and Japan in response to Chinese influence?
Cultural changes that occurred in Korea and Japan in response to Chinese influence were changes in education and religion. Chinese culture became ingrained into the upper class of Korea and eventually Korea began to adopt the Confucian and Buddhist religion. Korean students were educated in these areas and sent to China to study them. Japan began to adopt Buddhism into their culture (samurai considered the Chinese Chan school of Buddhism). Later Neo-Confucianism became popular during the Japanese Tokugawa regime.
How did Islam strengthen the trade connections and state building for the kingdoms shown in this map?
Islam strenghthened the trade connections and state building for the kingdoms shown in this map by giving them a common religion that could connect them to the Islam Empire and other Islamic territories (enriched their trade and resources). They were able to prosper from their Islam connections which would help in developing their state building for the kingdoms.
What was the relationship between long distance trade networks and the religion of Islam?
Many high class people in Baghdad desired luxury foreign products which prompted many Muslim merchants to immersed into the Afro-Eurasian trade routes as to obtain desirable goods. Soon Middle Eastern traders started a commercial colony in southern China (Canton) which linked Islam to many people who were trading or buying/selling.
How could technological developments, such as this dhow ship, help transform the culture of the Indian Ocean region?
Technological developments like the dhow ship, would help transform the culture of the Indian Ocean region by connecting areas from across the ocean. This would lead to more travel and trade between these areas and eventually cultural diffusion which would enrich and change the cultures in the Indian Ocean region.
What impact did the Arabian camel have on long-distance trade in Eurasia and Africa?
The Arabian camel allowed the long-distance trade between Eurasia and Africa to become easier. They were now able to travel the long distance on an animal that was able to carry heavy loads and walk for ten days without water (very efficient).
What facilitated the initial acceptance and spread of Buddhism in China?
The Chan school of Chinese Buddhism which emerged in China during the Song dynasty facilitated the initial acceptance and spread of Buddhism. The elite upper class liked the meditative aspects and philosophies of Buddhism which influenced their ideas of Confucianism. This led to the assimilation of Buddhism into Confucian thinking called Neo-Confucianism. Overall, the acceptance of the religion in the upper class allowed it to spread throughout China.
Based on the evidence in this map, why might the cities from Kilwa to Mogadishu have developed an Islamic culture while the Great Zimbabwe did not?
The cities from Kilwa to Mogadishu may have developed an Islamic culture rather than Great Zimbabwe because they are located closer to the Arabian Peninsula (where Islam orginated), so they would have been more influenced by the culture that was close to them. Great Zimbabwe was further down the Eastern coast of Africa which would have separated them more from the Middle East. Also, Great Zimbabwe seemed to develop its own unified area which would have been less susceptible to influence than a city.
Based on Chapters 2 and 3, do developments between 1200 and 1450 represent a continuation of earlier patterns or a sharp break from them?
The developments between 1200 and 1450 represent a continuation of earlier patterns rather than a sharp break from them. Interactions between the people continued and this kept growing allowing more civilizations to emerge from the original ones. The developments from 1200 and 1450 have a pattern of being progressive and constantly changing.
How did the expansion of Islam lead to the spread of learning?
The expansion of Islam caused many West African cities and civilizations to adopt the religion. This city Timbuktu became a center of learning with over a hundred Quranic school and other major education institutions. Many students came to these schools which is how Islam caused the spread of learning.
As shown on this map, how could the geographic location of Southeast Asia facilitate the rise of states there? Why might the Straits of Malacca in particular have stimulated state building?
The geographic location of Southeast Asia facilitated the rise of states there because it was divided in a way that made it easy to have the people in those regions come together to form a state. Along with this, the location is in the Indian Ocean which would've allowed many people to travel there and eventually that could have caused new technologies to emerge which lead to civilizations starting. The straits of Malacca in particular would have stimulated state building because it separated two areas of land from each other (perfect for creating two separate states) and ships would pass through the straits and this would cause more people to stop there (causing an eventual rise of civilization which leads to statebuilding).
In what ways did the network of communication and exchange shown in this map lead to cultural changes?
The network of communication and exchange shown in this map goes through the sea which greatly impacted cultural diffusion. No longer were people traveling for a very long time to trade throughout Eurasia. They were able to trade faster by traveling through the water (shorter distance than going all around the water) which led to even more cultural changes. The cultural changes were created by being able to exchange goods with even more different places that they couldn't have been able to reach through land trade routes.
compare the patterns of trade in the Americas with the patterns of trade in Eurasia. What are the reasons for the differences?
The patterns of trade in the Americas differed from the patterns of trade in Eurasia by being less trade routes and major cities/areas for trade. There were only a few hotspots for major trade, but otherwise there wasn't many trade routes or areas for trade. The reason for these differences were the environmental barriers and the lack of travel vessels. There weren't any horses, camels, large boats, or wheeled vehicles that were in Afro-Eurasia.
How does this image illustrate changes in Buddhism since the time of its founding?
This image illustrates changes in Buddhism since the time of its founding because it shows the Buddha surrounded by luxury. It portrays him as a god among others at the same level (who have achieved enlightenment). The beginnings of Buddhism were about stepping away from luxury and going on a spiritual journey. The Buddha was seen as a teacher or guide rather than a god on a throne and he lived a very simple life which differs from what this image portrays.
Explain how this mosque in West Africa is an example of cultural diffusion?
This mosque in West Africa is an example of cultural diffusion because it shows how Islam spread all the way to Africa. The Africans then adopted the religion and constructed a mosque (which is the place of worship for Islam). This displays the diffusion of a Middle Eastern religion into an African civilization
Zheng He
a Muslim eunuch who captained the voyages throughout the Indian Ocean to bring other civilizations into the Chinese Tribute system
Chaco Phenomenon
a major trade center in the American web that developed five settlements/pueblos (in Chaco canyon)
Great Zimbabwe
a state in Africa who was very powerful due to trade in gold and cattle throughout the Indian Ocean
Mali
a state/kingdom in West Africa that prospered due to trans-Saharan trade
what geographic or environmental obstacles did Silk Road traders have to contend with?
some geographical or environmental obstacles that Silk Road traders had to contend with were rivers such as; the Yellow River, Tigris River, Euphrates River, and the rivers that feed into the Aral Sea. Along with this, traders had to travel through the Taklamakan Desert.
Ghana
a state/kingdom in West Africa that prospered due to trans-Saharan trade
How did commerce change political, social, and economic life?
Commerce changed political, social, and economic life by spreading religion, government structures and techniques along with allowing more civilizations to develop financially. For example, from the Sand Roads, West Africa gained the economic stability to develop prosperous civilizations who had monarchies and adopted Islam as their religion.
To what extent did the Silk Roads and the Sea Roads operate in a similar fashion? How did they differ?
The Silk Roads and Sea Roads both allowed different civilizations to trade with each other and they promoted cultural diffusion particularly in religion (Islam and Buddhism) They were really different because they connected different places together and the Silk Roads went through the land while the Sea Roads went through the Indian Ocean (which connected Eastern Africa).
What motivated and sustained the long-distance commerce of the Silk Roads, Sea Roads, and Sand Roads?
The desire for luxury goods from foreign countries (by the elite class) motivated long-distance trade. Also, the ability to spread religion and gain wealth from trade prompted the long-distance trade along these trade routes. They were sustained by the many civilizations that developed from the trade.
the function of monumental architecture in a civilization?
The image suggests that the function of monumental architecture was to be admired. The architecture is so precise and detailed that it must have been used for something that was very important to the civilization.
What facilitated the spread of Buddhism along the Silk Roads?
The many Buddhist monasteries along the Silk Roads facilitated the spread of Buddhism. They allowed the people who traveled on the road to see the religion and eventually it made many people adopt it.
Explain how the roads pictured here strengthened Inca civilization?
The roads strengthened Inca civilization by connecting all the people throughout the empire which allowed them to trade and be united. Along with this, the roads were beneficial for messengers and travelers to use if they needed to. All of these things strengthened the Inca civilization by making it more unified.
